


The Dreams That You Wish

by thraxbaby



Series: Fairy Tale AU [3]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Cinderella AU, F/M, Lucio has a soft spot, and it's my anxiety ridden apprentice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-28
Updated: 2019-05-28
Packaged: 2020-03-26 06:48:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19000534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thraxbaby/pseuds/thraxbaby
Summary: Lenore wants to go the Masquerade





	The Dreams That You Wish

Lenore was heartbroken. She had been working hard for months to be able to afford a nice costume for the next masquerade, even having made a deal with a seamstress, but she had been one day late in her payment and the seamstress had sold the dress to someone else. Now, it was the eve of the masquerade and Lenore was left without a costume. She supposed she could try to get in as she was, but she'd stick out like a sore thumb in the worst way. 

One night. 

She had wanted just one night where she could forget that she was a poor girl apprenticing for a magician. She just wanted to feel... important. Said magician had exited their shop and saw her sitting on the steps, crying. 

"What happened? I thought you'd be at the palace by now?" Asra asked. Lenore sniffled and explained everything. 

"Oh." Asra paused for a beat before going back inside. When he returned to her side, he handed her a sparkling white mask. It was in the shape of a rabbit's face and lined with gold paint. "Try this. It has an enchantment that will transform your clothes into a ball gown. It will fade at about midnight, so be weary of the time. I could have made it last longer if I had more time, but-" Lenore cut him off by hugging him. 

"It's better than nothing. Thank you so much, Asra!" Lenore ran inside to the mirror in their room and put on the mask. Upon tying it behind her head, her usual outfit was covered in magical sparkles until it formed the shape of a gown, filling out with color and texture until she looked like she belonged at the palace. The dress was a glimmering silver, like it was woven from pure moonlight. Delicate silver embroidery decorated the sleeves and waist and hem of the full skirt. 

Asra twisted up her hair in a simple bun, pinned with two silver pins. Lenore felt like a princess. 

"And so you don't lose too much time, I'll let you take my shortcut." Asra motioned to a blank wall. Lenore raised an eyebrow. "Just walk through it." Lenore did as he said and appeared right outside the palace gates. Putting her curiosity as to why Asra had a secret portal to the palace aside, Lenore strolled in through the gates, taking everything in. 

There was music sweeping through the halls, there was feasting and drinking and dancing. Overall, it was a great time. Lenore soon made it to the ballroom. Unknown to her, Lenore was being watched. A blonde man wearing a goat mask set his eyes on her the second she arrived. She was stunning. It was a wonder the crowds didn't part around her, she was so beautiful. They had to meet. 

Lenore was still taking in the decorations of the room when someone swept up from behind her and pulled her to him. With his blonde hair and white and gold costume, he was like the sun. He kissed her hand and asked her to dance. Lenore nodded, dazzled by his presence. 

They danced, sweeping across the dance floor. When they were together, it was like the moon met the sun. Opposites, yet similar. Lenore felt something slot into place, looking into his ice blue eyes. They danced until the song ended and he guided her to follow him. 

He took her from room to room, enjoying the different activities and themes of each one. Lenore never had so much fun, running from room to room while on the arm of such an exciting man. Eventually, they tired and he grabbed them both some food and settled in a hidden gazebo within the garden maze. He sensually fed her chocolate covered strawberries, with heat in his eyes and a devilish grin. Lenore was completely enchanted by him. He was equally enchanted by her, eyes focused on her lips as she sucked a drop of strawberry juice from his fingers. 

"I've never met anyone like you. There's something about you..." He set the food aside, hand moving to her chin to tip her head up. His face was close to hers, breaths mingling. His other hand reached up to remove her mask when... 

BONG!

BONG!

BONG! 

Lenore gasped and turned her head, listening for the chimes of the clock. 

"What time is it?" Lenore asked. The man shrugged. 

"Should be midnight." 

"I gotta go." Lenore scrambled up and fled. She couldn't let him see her without the enchantment. He would see she didn't belong here and surely break her heart. She heard her date calling after her, but Lenore was fast. She easily lost herself in the halls of the palace. She stumbled, losing a shoe in the process, and dove headfirst into a wall. Only, she didn't make contact. Instead, she found herself in the alleyway beside the magic shop. And just as the last few bongs of the clock echoed across the city, the magic in her mask dissipated, leaving Lenore in the clothes she started with. However, something interesting was left. One shoe, a silver slipper with an embroidered moon on the front, was left. Lenore smiled and took the shoe and mask and went up to her room with the souvenirs of such a wonderful night. 

... 

By morning, the news had spread all over town. It was all anyone was talking about. Count Lucio was tearing through the city, trying to find a girl he had met at the masquerade. He didn't know her name. All he had was something she left behind. Lenore heard the gossip while out getting groceries. Upon hearing this, her heart began to pound out of her chest. Could the man she spent the night with have been the Count? It was possible. Everyone last night was wearing a mask. Count Lucio had a gold prosthetic arm. Did the man she was with have one? She couldn't tell, he had been wearing gloves. 

Lenore built her anxiety up on the way home. They had a connection, she knew it. But would he still feel the same once he saw her like this? A simple apprentice with no money, who relied on her master for food and shelter? Or would he sneer at her and leave her in the dirt? The Count was known for having high standards. 

Lenore returned to the shop and by the look on Asra's face, he's heard it, too. 

"So... You never told me what you got up to last night." It was no secret that Asra wasn't the Count's biggest fan. 

"Asra, I swear I didn't know. He just... swept me off my feet. We spent the whole time together... He was nothing like the Lucio you told me about... I..." Lenore was trembling. Asra put aside his hatred for Lucio and focused on calming his apprentice. He handed her a cup of tea and sat with her in silence until she could breathe normally. 

"So what are you going to do?" Asra asked. 

"You don't have to worry. I'm not going to tell him it was me." Lenore replied. 

"Why not?" 

"Look at me. If he's as terrible as you say he is, he'll take one look at me and be disgusted." Lenore sighed. 

"Lenore, if he doesn't like you the way you are, then he's simply not worth your time. You are so much better than he deserves. And I know what I said about him, but..." Asra sighed, like speaking the words were physically painful. "Lucio can still surprise me. If he's really searching all of Vesuvia for you, then it's most likely he won't see your status as a problem."

"Thanks, Asra." Lenore cracked a smile. 

"And if you do end up together, maybe smack some sense and morality into him, yeah?" This made Lenore laugh. 

"I'll try."

Just then, a familiar voice called out. 

"Asraaaaaaaa!"

"Ugh. Speak of the devil..." Asra frowned. The two of them stood, anticipating Lucio's entrance. Lucio kicked open the door and stomped in like he owned the place. He was clutching a silver slipper in his hand. He looked like he was about to scream some command, but stopped in his tracks. His gaze locked on hers and his features softened. 

"It's you." Lucio stepped forward and raised a hand to caress her face. Her eyes, her lips, her hair... This was her! He knew it. "It is you, isn't it?" Lenore nodded. 

"Just to be sure... What did we do last night?" Asra looked like he really didn't want to hear this. 

"You met me in the ballroom, where you asked me to dance. We danced together and it was like the world disappeared. Then you took me to the bubble room and the circus room and we saw a man almost lose an eyebrow from a fire breather." Lucio chuckled at that. 

"Then we stole a plate of chocolate covered strawberries from the kitchen and we fed them to each other in a hidden gazebo in the garden. And you told me... that you've never met anyone like me." 

"And it's true." Lucio said. "When I was with you, I didn't feel like the Count of Vesuvia. You didn't kiss up to me. With you, I was just... Lucio. Just another face in the crowd. And somehow, with you, I didn't mind it." For a few precious seconds, they were in their own world, lost in the other's eyes. Until Asra coughed. 

"You don't even know her name." Asra pointed out. 

"Of course I know her name!" Lucio gasped, indignant. "It's-" Lucio's eyes went wide. He didn't know her name. But he couldn't admit that to Asra. 

"It's Lenore." she answered. "I never properly introduced myself."

"Join me at the palace, Lenore. Let me spoil you." Lucio said, pulling her close. 

"You barely know her." Asra added. 

"Then I'll court her." Lucio announced. 

"You'll really have me?" Lenore asked. "Even though I'm practically a nobody?" 

"All the more reason to spoil you with everything you could ever want." Lucio grinned. 

"How about a date? We could talk over dinner?" Lenore suggested. 

"How about tomorrow at 8? I'll pick you up." Lucio asked. Lenore smiled and nodded. Lucio brought her hand up to his lips and pecked a kiss to her knuckles. "Until tomorrow, Lenore." Lenore watched Lucio leave the shop, acutely aware of the butterflies in her stomach. This was like a dream. A wonderful dream come true.

**Author's Note:**

> ~~Oops I gave her a splicer mask~~


End file.
